South Sudan postpones December elections by 2 years citing incomplete preparations

Associated Press

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The government in South Sudan has postponed elections scheduled for December for two years citing the need to complete processes such as a census, the drafting of a permanent constitution and registration of political parties. The Presidential Adviser on National Security Tut Gatluak on Friday said the extension would provide and opportunity to complete critical processes before the next election date of Dec. 22, 2026. This is the second time the country, which gained independence in 2011, is postponing elections and extending a transitional period that started in February 2020. The country’s President Salva Kiir and his former rival turned deputy, Riek Machar, signed a peace agreement in 2018 that ended a five-year civil war, in which more than 400,000 people died.